Various types of surgical devices are used for performing medical procedures on organs, tissues, and/or vessels. In many cases, the medical procedure involves inserting surgical tools, devices, or components thereof, into the body of a patient through a natural orifice or an incision. Surgical tools inserted into the body may be removed prior to the completion of the medical procedure, or may be designed to remain within the body. In cases where the surgical tools, and components thereof, are intended to be removed from the patient, an accounting of all components must be rigorously performed to ensure nothing is left inside the body. Surgical tools or components unintentionally left in the body require additional surgical procedures for removal. Additionally, as tools and components are used, replaced, interchanged, or reloaded, contaminated tools or components quickly litter the operating theater. These used tools or components typically retain biological waste thereon, such as, for example, blood or bodily fluids, and must be contained in a manner to avoid contamination with sterile equipment or the surrounding environment.
Accordingly, it is highly desirable for an operator to easily and efficiently account for the quantity of tools or components introduced into the operating theater, retain introduced tools or components before or after use, and verify prior to closing an incision or completing the medical procedure that all introduced tools or components are accounted for. Additionally, when using tools with interchangeable or reloadable components, there is a further desire to maintain an accurate count of the new and/or used components, to ensure that a used component is not re-inserted into the body unintentionally. A further desire is to retain and account for any tools or components that may have broken during use, to ensure that a broken component is not re-inserted into the body unintentionally.